Second Chances and New Beginnings
by Balance of Opposites
Summary: Jack's past catches up to him as his oldest child is sought for witnessing the murder of an FBI agent and Celtic symbiots seek new hosts. An alternate universe story that runs parallel to our other SG1 story, All That Life Allows.
1. Chapter 1

Colonel Jonathan 'Jack' O'Neill made his way to his commanding officer's office. He had no idea what the general wanted to see him for on such short notice. As far as he knew, everything was running smoothly with the stargate, and he knew he had not missed any meetings or briefings. He hoped it had nothing to do with the Russians or know-it-all scientists. He could only handle two scientists, Major Dr. Samantha Carter and Dr. Daniel Jackson. Only other reason he could think of was that someone had done something, and he was getting blamed. Typical, really. He always got blamed, he thought.

When he was told, in passing on his way there, that it was a Navy officer that was in the general's office, he became curious. The Navy's only real involvement with the stargate was the Marines used as brute force and covert operations. He could not fathom why an officer of the Navy, not a Marine officer, would be on the base, given clearance at all really. He hoped it was good. His paper work was piling up and the general was hounding him to get it finished. Figures the one time he sat down to do it, something came up.

Finally making his way to the general's office, he knocked on the usually open but now closed door. He waited for the deep 'Enter.' from inside before opening the door and stepping in. Any ideas about the stargate and the Navy went crashing away as he laid eyes on the woman standing with General George Hammond. "Suzanna?" Jack asked, staring at the woman.

The general left the two alone as the woman in dress uniform answered Jack. "Hello, Jonathan." She gave him a small smile that seemed welcome but a bit foreign on her stoic face. Her short dark brown hair was styled to accommodate military head gear being nearly shaved off in the back and only an inch or so on top. Her hazel eyes seemed to see everything as she watched Jack.

"What brings you here?" He asked softly, happy to see as was evident by the light in his eyes. He had not seen her in a few years, and they had only shared a few phone calls and birthday and Christmas cards over that time. She had to be there for her duty in the Navy or because of family.

"Elizabeth," she answered simply. Her face lost the smile as she thought about why she had to bring Jack's eldest child to him.

"What about her?" He frowned, moving closer to Suzanna. A million thoughts running through his head. Most of them were not good.

"She's in a spot of trouble." Her answer was cryptic, but Elizabeth really needed to be the one to give her father the details. While Suzanna knew all Elizabeth had ever said about it; Elizabeth was the one that had been through it, and she was the one that would tell him all of it.

"What kind of trouble?" Any good thoughts that had been in his head vanished as the worse ones paraded around at the front of his mind. His frown deepened slightly. "She's not pregnant is she?" Considering his daughter's nature, that seemed unlike but also the most likely trouble she could be in. She would never do anything worse than sleep with a guy. Drugs, crimes, all of that stuff was too unlike her.

"Not hardly," Suzanna replied. Elizabeth would sooner commit manslaughter over road rage than get knocked up by someone she did not plan to spend the rest of her life with. "She saw something she wasn't suppose to. An FBI agent gunned down. Now," she spoke evenly, "whomever did it wants her dead."

Jack blinked a moment before getting visibly and audibly upset. "What! Where is she?" He had to see his little girl. He had to make sure she was alright, in one piece. His arms itched to wrap her up and hold her to keep her safe forever.

"Calm down." Suzanna placed a firm hand on Jack's arm. She was always calm and it drove a lot of people nuts. The only emotion she did seem able to exhibit was her anger, her temper. Many men under her command, and women, cowed to that temper. Jack, having known her for some time, was not overly surprised by her demeanor even if Elizabeth was her niece. "She's upstairs waiting on me to bring you up," she explained. How he could think she would not have Elizabeth close... She decided not to think about it.

Jack nodded briskly, pulling her for the door. "Lead the way." He wanted to see his daughter and he wanted to see her yesterday.

Suzanna calmly, and with normal speed, led Jack to his oldest child. Elizabeth stood with a slightly younger girl waiting on her aunt's return with her father. The eldest O'Neill child looked much as she normally did; blonde hair hung in a braid to the center of her back, blue green eyes seemed bright if not a little tired. He did notice that she had pierced her nose and eyebrow, which expaserted him. She wore blue jeans and a black T-shirt, he expected at least some part of her attire to have black in it The girl beside her had long sandy colored hair braided down her back and blue eyes. She stood at a little over average and had a fit frame, which was hidden under bookish style clothing. She looked to be in her early twenties and wore an expression very similar to Suzanna's even though her face did not resemble her much, especially with the glasses resting on her nose.

"Elizabeth?" Jack asked as he looked his eldest child up and down, making sure she was indeed well and whole.

Elizabeth moved forward into her fathers arms, hugging him tightly. "Daddy." If anyone could keep her safe, make her feel safe besides her aunt it was her father.

Suzanna stood watching the two, the other girl, Harper, at her side. They both saw the love and caring with which Jack rubbed his eldest's back. "It's okay," he promised her. "No one is going to hurt you. Suzanna and I will see to that."

Elizabeth nodded silently as she held on to her father. Her aunt's assurance of 'We will.' washed over her and she felt safe. Feeling safe, though, did nothing to fill the hole that was growing inside of her. The cold hole that use to be her spirit.

"Come on. Let's get inside." Jack motioned all three of them along with him. He led them to the general's office where he made Elizabeth tell her story. He also got permission from Hammond for the girls to have clearance, and for Elizabeth to have a job while she was wanted by whomever had killed the FBI agent.

Suzanna and Harper sat to the side as Jack and Elizabeth talked with each other and with General Hammond. They were both, particularly Suzanna, happy to see Elizabeth and Jack interacting. Neither said anything as the meeting seemed to draw to a close.

Jack stood and smiled at them. "Better give you the tour." The base was large and they would need to be familiar with the ways to and from certain areas. He had no doubt Suzanna would memorize the area as soon as she walked through the halls once. However, Elizabeth and Harper had a knack for either not paying attention or just not getting it. They would take a while to get use to the twists and turns of the halls.

Elizabeth stood beside her father and nodded, looking over at the other two women. "Aunt Suzi and Harper, too?"

Jack nodded back and motioned all three of them to follow him. They fell into step, Elizabeth and Suzanna behind Jack and Harper. As they walked, Jack wrapped an arm around Harper's shoulders, pulling her to his side and giving her a kiss to the head. "How are you doing?"

Harper smiled up at him. "Alright." She pushed her glasses up her nose.

"You staying at the house?" He asked not really showing them anything just leading them around at the moment.

"Yeah. Mom only got one room at the hotel. She figured you'd want us at the house," she explained as she looked around, particularly at the male bodies they passed along the way. Though, none of them seemed to really interest her overly.

"Want her at the house, too." He looked to Suzanna, who was watching her surroundings as well as the three people she walked with. She was ever observant and vigilant.

Suzanna arched a brow. "If you are certain. I can sleep on the couch." She had been hoping to forestall the intimacy of staying in his home, but her own will and his were warring with her on that. She could see it in his eyes.

"Have plenty of room," he argued. "There's Liz's room, Harper's and a guest room." He watched her, wanting to her say yes so badly. He had missed her over the years. The only time he had not was when he was with Sarah.

"Alright, then the guest room." She had not intentions of sleeping anywhere but there or the couch, even if her body was telling her something different. She gave him a small smile.

"Good." He put an arm around her shoulders as they rounded a corner. He wanted her in his own bed but figured for that to happen he would have to bide his time.

Jack smiled as they met up with Daniel and Teal'c. "Danny, Big guy," he motioned to the three women with him, "This is Suzanna King and Harper and Elizabeth O'Neill." He grinned proudly as he said his daughters' names.

"O'Neill?" Daniel blinked and pushed up his glasses. Jack had never mentioned he had more children than Charlie, had never acted like it. Why would he have kept that information a secret from his team, his friends? They were like family.

Teal'c looked the women over and said nothing. He was shocked Jack had said nothing as well, but Jack's life was his own and he was entitled to whatever personal secrets he wished to keep. Who was he to judge that the man had never said anything about having two daughters.

"My girls!" Jack beamed proudly, puffing up like the proud papa bear he was.

"I did not know you had daughters, O'Neill." Teal'c voiced both his and Daniel's thoughts in that one sentence.

"Liz will be working here for a while, and I'm sure Harper will be around some. Two of the most beautiful girls their are." He was busting at the seams it seemed over his daughters.

Suzanna noticed that Harper was eyeing Daniel subtly. She doubted anyone observed the fact but herself. Harper always had been one for the bookish types. They had much more in common, she surmised.

"Why didn't you tell us you had girls?" Daniel questioned, curious still why Jack had never said anything.

"Never came up." Jack shrugged. He liked to keep some of his life private and it had actually never came up, even when talking about Charlie. "This one takes after her mother," he continued boasting about his girls.

"And her mother?" Daniel asked. Harper looked more like her father than her mother.

Suzanna was ignoring them as she noticed Liz's nervousness. She never had liked meeting new people. She put her hand on her shoulder gently, squeezing firmly. Elizabeth placed her hand over Suzanna's.

"This beauty." Jack motioned to Suzanna, bringing her out of her thoughts as she reassured Elizabeth. Suzanna rolled her eyes.

Daniel nodded to her. "Daniel Jackson, since he didn't actually introduce us." He smiled at all three of the women. "This is Teal'c."

"Hello," Elizabeth responded quietly, shyly to both of them.

"Hello," Teal'c told all three women in greeting.

Daniel smiled at them and officially said hello with, "Hi." He then looked to Jack. "Well, we were off to the library in town. I need some reference material on some Celtic legends."

Harper perked up visibly, unlike her mother who only did so subtly. Elizabeth looked at her sister. "Well, guess I know where you're going, sis." She gave her small smile.

"What?" Harper looked at her blankly.

"Library." She said softly, rolling her eyes.

"I would but that would be... Well, I can't impose and I don't know them," Harper stated bluntly. Her mother had ingrained a certain decorum into her.

Elizabeth looked to Daniel, and as bluntly as her sister but more softly spoken, asked, "Can she go with you?"

"Elizabeth," Jack started. Daniel had important work to do and did not need Harper hanging around bugging him.

"I don't see why not," Daniel answered looking to Harper's parents.

Suzanna nodded. "She would be of use to you," she answered his look simply. Harper was very intelligent and had a strong interest in such things.

Daniel raised his brow and waited on Jack's response, which was the same as his own. "Don't see why not." Daniel nodded.

Harper grinned and kissed her father's cheek. "Thanks."

Daniel smirked. "I can see one thing you don't have in common," he told Jack.

"And that would be?" Jack quarried curiously, eyeing Daniel.

"You would never be excited to go to a library."

"Ha ha, Space monkey," he replied sarcastically.

Daniel continued to smirk and shrugged. "Come on then," he told Teal'c and Harper. "Got work to do." He started down the hall, the other two following.

"See you guys later!" Harper called all excited as she bounced along behind the two men.

"Later," Liz called after her as Jack called, "Behave."

"Always!" Harper grinned as she disappeared around a corner.

Suzanna shook her head and waited for Jack to continue the 'tour'. When he did not seem to be doing so she reminded, "The tour."

Jack nodded showing the two them around the rest of the base, explaining this and that. He finally finished the tour by finding an office for each of them. Suzanna he placed beside his own office while Elizabeth he placed near Daniel as she would be working more with him than anyone. He then spent a little while talking to the two women before Suzanna stood.

"Have some stuff in the car we need to get to your place and we haven't eaten. I'd say wait for Harper but knowing her she won't leave the library until they kick her out."

"Some things never change," Jack mused, kissing Elizabeth's temple and Suzanna's cheek before handing over a key to his house. "I'll meet you back there."

Suzanna nodded and headed for the door. "Come on, hon," she said to Elizabeth softly. Elizabeth followed quietly, leaving Jack to wait on Daniel and Teal'c to return with his other daughter.


	2. Chapter 2

Some time after Suzanna and Elizabeth arrived at Jack's, his phone rang. The two women had been doing their own things. Suzanna sat and read while Elizabeth milled around the house doing this and that. Suzanna let her be knowing she wanted to be left alone. She would watch over her and be there should Elizabeth need her. Slowly, she stood and answered the phone, as she did all phones, in a very professional manner. "Hello. O'Neill residence."

Jack's voice sounded in her ear playfully. "I have your daughter. If you ever wish to see her again, you will have dinner on the table in half an hour. Enough for six."

"Six?" She questioned. Who was he bringing with him besides Harper?

"Dannyboy and Teal'c are coming, too. Told 'em what a good cook you are." His grin was evident in his voice.

"Alright. Anything specific you want?" Her mind went over what was available in the kitchen as she had given the entire house a once over.

Half serious, he answered, "You and a can of chocolate."

Suzanna sighed silently. "Jonathan..." She started but knew it was futile to argue with him when he was wanting to play. "I meant for dinner," she clarified for her own peace of mind.

"I was talking dinner." His grin was still in his voice. She could picture the face splitting smile, the devilish glint in his eyes.

"And for the others?" She inquired smugly. "You aren't one to share." Far from it. When they had been together, any man that even thought about giving her a once over ended up chewed out or injured.

"They can fend for themselves. I know Liz got your knack in the kitchen. Do you still have that black lacy thing..." He trailed off. He himself did not know how much of this was play and how much would be followed through. However, he knew how much he wanted followed through, all of it.

Suzanna cleared her throat in that way she did when she thought that was enough. "Yes." Her voice was pinched either from irritation or desire. Jack knew it was likely both. Suzanna knew it was more the latter. "I'll, uh, see you when you get here. Italian alright with you?"

"Long as you're desert." He had been thinking. He wanted her back. She was going to be his if he had to walk through hell to get her, and knowing her he would have to fight every step of the way. Unless he got lucky.

"Alright," she said, ignoring the dessert comment. "See you in a bit." Suzanna hung up the phone a bit flushed. She made her way to the kitchen and pulled out all of the things she would need to cook a meal for six. Elizabeth soon showed up to help her.

By the time Jack, Harper, Daniel, and Teal'c arrived, the meal was done and on the table. A few Italian dishes and a green salad awaited the hungry. Jack leaned over and kissed Elizabeth's cheek as he walked by her and the others took their seats. While everyone was preoccupied, Jack snuck his mouth to Suzanna's neck, kissing her lightly. The small action produced a small moan that only reached his and her ears. "Like that sound," he whispered in her ear.

"Eat." She turned him to the head of the table and the food.

"Bed and I will." He turned back around to look at her. He was dead serious.

"Jonathan..." She sighed again.

"My name." He grinned at her broadly. She was not putting up much of a fight. Things were looking up for him. He would have her back in no time flat.

Suzanna shook her head and sat down. She looked around. Teal'c ate silently. Daniel and Harper were talking animatedly about this and that to do with the Celts. Daniel, at least, was shoveling food into his mouth. Harper ignored her empty plate. Elizabeth took it upon herself to fill the girl's plate. "Harper, eat."

Jack watched as well as he sat at the head of the table and quickly dug in. His eyes, however, stayed on Suzanna. She was eating neatly but quickly. Her mannerisms those of someone who had spent years in the military. Otherwise, she watched those around her except for Jack.

"Thought maybe we could go to the movies tomorrow," Elizabeth spoke up after many minutes of just Daniel and Harper's discussion to listen to.

At about the same time, Suzanna had enough of watching Harper ignore her food for the most part. "Harper, eat your food and stop bugging the poor man."

Jack gave Elizabeth a sad smile. "Sorry, Kiddo. Don't want you out." He smirked inwardly as Harper, properly chastised by her mother, began to eat.

"We would be with her," Suzanna commented feeling sorry for Elizabeth for being cooped up for so long so far with lots of time to be cooped up in her future.

"Don't want to risk it until I find out more about what's going on." Jack shook his head. His decision was final. He was not going to put Elizabeth in danger or allow the others to be in danger by being out with her. They were staying at the base or home.

"What's going on?" Daniel asked. He had picked up that something was up but he had no idea what. He looked from Suzanna to Jack and back again.

Suzanna sighed yet again, ignoring Daniel's question as it was not her place to answer it. "Well, we can watch something here, together." All she got from Elizabeth was a minute nod of the head.

"Elizabeth saw something she shouldn't. Now we have to make sure she's safe." Jack, like Suzanna, was not going to give the major detail as it was Elizabeth's story to tell. When she was ready, she could tell others.

Elizabeth, finished eating though there was still food on her plate, stood and started clearing the table. Everyone was pretty much finished with the meal. Suzanna stood and helped her as Daniel set about finishing the food on his plate.

"What's for dessert?" Jack followed Elizabeth and Suzanna into the kitchen, a glint in his eye.

"Dad, why don't you just take her up to your room and do what you want to do?" She looked at him then to Suzanna. "What you both want to do."

Suzanna looked to say something then thought better of it. "Liz, why don't you lay down?" She could see the fatigue, had watched the girl not sleep night after night. Elizabeth needed to rest more than anything.

"Not tired, but I'll leave you to talk." She left them alone in the kitchen, going outside to look at the stars that twinkled in the darkening sky.

Suzanna's eyes followed Elizabeth out the door, staying there once the door was closed. Jack could see the concern in her eyes. "What's the matter?" He asked softly, stepping closer to her.

"I wish there was something we could do." She sighed, as was becoming a repetition for her it seemed. "I hate this feeling helpless, not able to make it go away."

"I know. We'll do the only thing we can do, protect her." He rubbed at her shoulders soothingly. She was so tense. He hated seeing her like this. He was reminded of things in her past he liked to keep there.

"She's shutting me out," she spoke softly, sounding lost.

"What? How?" He looked into her eyes. She and Elizabeth had always been close, very close. They shared everything. He knew it was serious when Suzanna just shook her head. "Talk to me, Sue."

"I don't know what to say."

"Tell me why you think she's shutting you out?" He pressed.

"I watch her. It's like she's running on automatic. There's no life to her now. She use to tell me every time something happened. We talked every night before bed. Now... nothing." She leaned into the hands on her shoulders.

"She feels as helpless as you do. I'm sure things will turn around. We'll get the old Liz back."

She nodded. "I hope so," she spoke real softly.

Jack pulled her tight into his arms, kissing the top of her head. She was such a strong woman. To see her like this broke his heart. "Sleep with me tonight," he said after she laid her head on his shoulder. "Doesn't have to be anything more." He just wanted to comfort her, hold her.

Suzanna looked up and seemed to read his face. "Alright." Jack smiled down at her and kissed her lips lightly. "Jon..." She looked into his eyes. "So much time has passed..." She put her hand on his face.

"Time you should have been here," he told her quietly, earnestly.

"We were going different places. You met Sarah and..." She shook her head again. "It's in the past now."

He nodded. "We have another chance." He held her tighter as she nodded back and leaned into him, her hands on his chest.

About then Daniel walked in, talking as he entered. "We were just wondering about des..." He trailed off as he spotted them.

Suzanna started to pull away from him. Jack pulled her back in and laid a passionate, possessive kiss on her right in front of Daniel. She gasped into the kiss, letting his tongue in her mouth as his eyes slid closed. She kissed back. Eventually, he pulled away when he needed air. "Better go get that dessert." He smiled at Daniel as he walked by him back to the dining room.

Daniel pinked slightly. Suzanna rolled her eyes. "Ignore his possessiveness." She smirked as she got the dirt cake from the fridge.

"Hey, if it works for you who am I to judge." He held his hands up defensively smiling.

"Truth be told, we haven't seen each other in a few years," she admitted to him as she busied herself with the cake.

"Couldn't tell." He grinned at her. Jack acted like she was his lost high school sweetheart or something.

She nodded before walking back to the dining room and setting a plate of dessert before everyone's seat. She then headed for the door. "I'll get Liz." She made her way to the back door and outside. "Liz, dessert's on the table, hon." She watched as Elizabeth stood and dusted herself off. "You okay?"

"Good as it gets." She smiled at her aunt but the smile did not reach her eyes. She felt lost and helpless.

"If you want to talk..."

"You're there. I know," she cut her aunt off. "Not much to talk about." She put her arm around Suzanna as they walked back inside, taking their seats.

"Harper, eat." Elizabeth spoke to her sister, who was chatting with Daniel animatedly yet again.

Harper hummed. "I will." She returned to her conversation. She could eat later, but she wanted to talk to Daniel as much as she could.

"Now, Harper," Suzanna intoned, eyeing her daughter.

"Mr. Teal'c, would you like some more?" Elizabeth asked Teal'c, who had finished what Suzanna had sat before him.

Teal'c shook his head. "No, thank you, ElizabethO'Neill."

"Liz," she corrected him.

"No mister, Kiddo. Just Teal'c," Jack corrected Elizabeth.

Suzanna finished her small piece of dirt cake just before Elizabeth finished her own. "Harper, food," Elizabeth reminded again. Harper had yet to touch her dessert.

"Liz, dear, take this into the kitchen." Suzanna handed her a few of the dirty dishes. Elizabeth took them and left the room, starting to wash them. "Harper, eat your dessert."

"I will."

"Now, Harper." Suzanna used her forceful officer/mother voice.

Harper sighed. "Alright already." She quickly scarfed the food down, swallowing each bite without chewing. Luckily for her it was dirt cake.

"Harper Charlotte O'Neill..." Jack started only stopping as Suzanna raised a hand for him to. He did not look happy about doing so but he quieted. Harper was way out of line.

Harper started chattering again at Daniel as soon as her food was gone. Suzanna watched her a moment. "Help your sister with the dishes."

"But..." Harper started.

"No buts," Suzanna gave her mother glower. At the same time, Jack warned, "Harper."

Harper sighed before taking the rest of the dishes into the kitchen to help Elizabeth. They all watched her go before Daniel spoke, "She's... animated."

"She's a pain in the ass," her mother corrected. "She thinks she knows everything and that running her mouth is more important than anything." Suzanna shook her head. Harper drove her made sometimes. She could not take the constant chatter.

"She's very intelligent," Daniel observed.

"She is," Suzanna agreed. "She just needs to grow up."

"She's what, twenty? She has time yet." Daniel smiled. He found Harper refreshing.

Suzanna nodded. "Perhaps I grew up too fast to understand." She sighed as she stood. "I'll see the girls are doing alright." She carried anything the other two missed into the kitchen to them.

"I'm sure once she's out in the real world instead of school. She'll learn." Jack assured Suzanna as she left. He had faith that Harper would turn out like her mother with a small bit of him thrown into the mix.


End file.
